Automatic lighting attachment for electric alarm clocks



April 28, 1953 5, gm; 2,636,336

AUTOMATIC LICHTING ATTACHMENT FOR ELECTRIC ALARM CLOCKS Filed Dec. 1, 1951 F'Jg. 2.

66 WENTOR. Gusia v Shun arr ve/ Es;

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Patented Apr. 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC LIGHTING ATTACHMENT FOR ELECTRIC ALARM CLOCKS 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in electric alarm clocks and, more specifically to a new and improved attachment for electric alarm clocks for automatically closing an electric circuit.

One object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which will close automatically an electric circuit :for a lighting device or the like at the beginning of the alarm of the clock and for open ng and re-closing the circuit at the will of the operator independently from the alarm mechanism, so that a person who is awakened by the alarm at an earlv hour does not have to fumble around in the dark searching for a light switch but will have light in his room as well as at the dial of the alarm clock until he moves a lever on the clock for switching off the light.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which has a Source of light, such as an electric light bulb directly attached to the alarm clock in such a manner that the main portion of the bulb will illum nate the room while a small portion thereof will illuminate the dial of the alarm clock.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which can be installed easily and ouickly v by any watchmaker or amateur mechanic into existing electric alarm clocks, although it can be made also as standard equipment for newly manufactured clocks, and which consists priinarily of plastic material and a minimum of metal parts.

Still another object of the present invention is the provis on of a device of the character described which. is simple in construction, consisting of only a few inexpensive Darts which can be assembled easily and quickly, so that this device can be manufactured and sold at a low price, but which is also sturdy, durable and well adapted for the purpose for which it is intended.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

' In the accompanying drawing a preferred form of the invention has been shown.

l minates at one end into the recess 23.

ductive bearing bracket 34, to which the lever l8- In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a fractional front view of a preferred embodiment of my invention as it appears when installed in an electric alarm clock with the back cover removed from the clock housing;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing the numeral 2 denotes a clock housing which has in its top wall an opening 4, and in a side wall a slot 6. Within the housing 2 there is any ordinary, well-known electrical clock and alarm mechanism having a solenoid 8, a core it), a lever l2 which swings downwardly when the alarm begins to sound, a shiftable cam bar M for shutting off the alarm by raising the lever 12, as well as a dial 13. A cable 4 with a plug it is provided for connecting the clock to an electric current outlet (not shown). The above mentioned parts form no part of my present invention.

The attachment according to my invention consists of the following: A lever 58, which. preferably is made of non-conductive plastic material or the like has a handle portion 29 (Fig. 1), which extends partially through the slot l, a cam portion 22, and a hub portion 24 which is connected by an arm portion 26 to the handle portion 293. A pair of recesses 23 and 30 are provided at the upper end of the arm portion, and a conductive member 32 attached to the hub and arm portions of the lever l8 ter- A conis pivoted at 36, is secured to an insulating base 38 by means of screws 40 or the like. The base 38 is secured to any suitable part of the inner side of the housing 2 by means of screws 42 or the like. If the housing 2 is made of insulating material, the bracket 34 can be secured thereto directly. A cylindrical member M, whose axis preferably is parallel to the axis of the pivot 36, is secured to a rod 56, which is attached to the lever [52 by means of soldering or by any other suitable means. The member 45 is located and arranged in such a manner that it will engage the cam portion 22 and move the lever Hi .of the alarm of the clock.

A resilient conductive arm 48 engages with one end one of the recesses 28 or 3!! while its other end is secured to an insulating member 56 by means of screws 52 or the like. The member b is secured to any suitable stationary part of the clock mechanism or the like. A socket 54 is attached to the inner side of the housing 2 by means of clamps 56 or the like in such a manner that its upper edge is in spaced relation to the inner side of' the housing 2. An electric light bulb 55 is inserted into thesocket 5 and protrudes through the opening a partially beyond the outer side and partially beyond the inner side of the housing 2, so that it can illuminate not only the room but also the dial. l3; which is either in spaced relation to the inner side of the housing 2 or is transparent.

If the lever 18 is in the position shown in full lines, the outer end of the arm t8 rests in the recess 39 of the insulating lever 18, so that. the electric circuit for the; bulb 58 is interrupted. If the parts l2, it and t5 swing, downwardly, at the beginning or the sounding. or thealarm,.the member at causesthe lever I 8 to'swingin aclcckwise direction into the'position indicated in dashand-dotted lines, so that the outer end of the arm 38 engages the recess 23 and touches. the conductive member 32; thus closing the bulb circuit, so that an electric current will flow' from theterminal cc of the cable l'ethrcugh a wire62, the bulb 56, a wire t l, the arm 48 the member 32, the bracket .34, and a wire iii; to' the second terminal 63 of the cable it. Due to the shape of the cam portion 22 as shown in Fig. l, the parts 82, a l and 456 can be raised back' to their position shown in full lines by pushing the bar it for shutting on the alarm without changing the position of the lever it. Thus the alarm can be shut off without switching on the light bulb 53, so that the operator can use the lever is as a switch for switching on or off the bulb 5% without changing the position of the bar it.

The wires 64' and 66 can be directly connected to the cable it, Or they can be connected to a pair of conductive rails ill and 72, which may be secured to an insulating plate T4 by mean of screws 75 or the like; and the plate M can be secured to the housing 2' by means of screws 78 or the like. If the housing 2 is made of insulating material, the plate it can be omitted and the rails it and 12 can be secured directly to the housing 2.

Since certain changes may be. made in the above article and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which as a matter of language mi ht'be said to fall therebetween.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an electric alarm clock which has electrically operated alarm means and an electric light bulb mounted on the clock and protruding partially beyond the outer side of the clock and partially into the clock, an automatic lighting attachment comprising a lever having a cam portion and a handle portion as Well as a pairof recesse and a hub portion, a conductive memher attached to said lever and terminating with one end at the hub portion and with its other end at one of said recesses of said handle, a conductive bearing bracket to which said lever is pivoted being mounted within an electric alarm clock, means for engaging the cam portion of said lever being mounted on the alarm means of the alarm clock, an insulating member mounted within the alarm'cl'oc'k; and at resilient conductive arm. engaging with one end one of the recesses of said lever and having its other end secured to said insulating member, one terminal of said. light bulb being conductively connected to said resilient arm while its other terminal is connected to the first terminal of a. source-of" current providing electricity for; the alarm clock, and said bearing bracket being condu'ctively connected to the second terminal of saidsource of current, so that the electric circuit of said light bulb is closed if said lever is moved by said. means for engaging the, cam portion into a position. in which: said resilient. arm. engages that recess. of. the. lever into which tere minates one end of said conductive membenand that said circuit is interrupted if said lever is in. a position in which said arm engages said other recess.

2. An automatic light attachment for electric marm clocks comprising a lever of. insulating material having a cam portion and a handle portion as well as a pair of recesses, and a hub portion intermediate said handle portion and said cam portion, a conductive member attachedto said lever and terminating with one end at the hub portion and with its other end at one of said recesses of said handle, a conductive. bearing bracket to which said lever is pivoted being mounted within an electric alarm clock, a. cylindrical member wihose axis is parallel to the. axis around which said lever is movable being. adapted for engaging the cam portion of said lever and secured to the alarm means of the alarm. clock, an insulating member mounted within the alarm clock, a resilient conductive arm. engaging. with one end one. of the recesses of said. lever and having its other end secured to said insulating member, an electric illuminating device on said alarm clock, and a wire connecting. saidbearing bracket to the first terminal. of. a source of cur-- rent providing electricity for the a arm clock, one terminal of said illuminating device being conductively connected to said resilient arm while its other terminal is connected to the second terminal of said source of current, so that the electric circuit of said illuminating device is closed if said lever isv moved by said cylindrical member into a position in which said resilient arm engages that recess of the lever into which terminates one end of said conductive member, and that said circuit is interrupted if said lever is in a position in which said arm engages said other recess.

3. In an electric alarm clock which has a housing as well as a dial in spaced relation to the inner side of said housin and an electric to said lever and terminating with one end at the hub portion and with its other end at one of said recesses of said handle, a conductive bearing bracket to which said lever is pivoted being mounted within said housing, a cylindrical member whose axis is parallel to the axis around which said lever is movable being adapted for engaging the cam portion of said lever and secured to the alarm means of the alarm clock,

an insulating member mounted within the alarm 10 clock, and a resilient conductive arm engaging with one end one of the recesses of said lever and having its other end secured to said insulating member, one terminal of said light bulb being conductively connected to said resilient arm 1' while its other terminal is connected to the first terminal of a source of current providing electricity for the alarm clock, and said bearing 6 bracket being conductively connected to the second terminal of said source of current, so that the electric circuit of said light bulb is closed if said lever is moved by said cylindrical memher into a position in which said resilient arm engages that recess of the lever into which terminates one end of said conductive member, and that said circuit is interrupted if said lever is in a position in which said arm engages said other recess.

GUSTAV STEIN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 995,292 Roller June 13, 1911 1,411,910 Corlin Apr. 4, 1922 

